Kraken Success = Higher Payroll

Seattle GM Ron Francis Updates All Things Kraken (Part 4 Of 7)

"That was one of the perks of being a new franchise. This is the way our roster is constructed. We believe it gave us the best chance to win. So we'll enjoy it while we're here, and manage it as best we can moving forward.

"Every GM would love to be able to do that. Unfortunately, that'll change for us, too. We're going to have players that push those five and a half million dollar contracts northward.

"With a new franchise in drafting and developing, it takes time to see if you have a McDavid or a McKinnon. And hopefully our amateur guys find us some of those players."

"Before I came here, I heard so much about the Seattle sports fan and how loud and how passionate they are. I've won two Cups, I've lost in a Cup final, so I've been to some pretty loud buildings along the way. That experience in Game 6 in our building was absolutely outstanding.

"Seeing the fans that excited, seeing the community just sort of rally, gave them a huge boost. From an organization standpoint, I can't say thank you enough to our fans for the support they give us.

"They're vocal from start to finish. Even when they're having a tough night, they're still trying to get them going to rally. We're very proud to be part of the Seattle sports scene with those kind of fans."